Express Yourself
by xoxbreyoxo
Summary: Mr Shuester gives out the week's assignment. Some Puck/Rachel, but that's not the basis of the story; just the characters I can't help but write.
1. Weekly Assignment: Express Yourself

**A/N:** I realize this isn't a chapter, I just wanted to see if anyone would be interested in this story. I fully intend to mix humor in with the angst (even if the angst is the plot bunny that won't leave me alone) So if you could give me any sign that anyone actually wants to read this, I will definitely be able to write quicker than I have so far. :) T rating is for language, because in my angstier chapter, the character definitely talks like I do in real life and I don't want anyone to be shocked or offended by that.

Downloads of the songs are available below. I will keep this updated as I continue the story :)

www . mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

"'Express Yourself': Your assignment for the week is to come up with a number expressing something to someone that isn't here to say it. Or something you aren't able to say. Any questions?"


	2. I Want You to Want Me

_**A/N**: OK, here's the first real chapter. Sorry for the delay. Work kinda took over for a couple days but this is the first of three chapters I have written, and yeah. Hope you like it! Please let me know, either way. I live for feedback!_

Downloads of the songs for Express Yourself are available below. I will keep this updated as I continue the story :)

www. mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

_**Disclaimer**: Don't own Glee, "I Want You to Want Me" or, sadly, Noah Puckerman. But I love to play in the sandbox of the genius that brought them to us :)_

Santana Lopez didn't dwell on things. She just didn't. She would hold a grudge like no other, but there was no point in dwelling. So, why couldn't she shake this annoyance. It wasn't like she even _liked_ Puck. Hello-she dumped him. Publicly.

But she still had him wrapped around her finger. They still spent their free time in his truck, windows all fogged up, or in the janitor's closet in the Math Hall. He still asked 'how high?' when she said 'jump.' But there was something he never did for her.

And it disgusted her when he did it for _Rachel Berry_ of all people. It angered her when he did it for Mercedes. She was able to overlook the Quinn instance, but that was circumstantial. But when she walked into the choir room to see him singing "You Are My Sunshine" to a teary eyed Tina, it was the last straw. And that's why she couldn't stop herself...it just _happened._

"I want you to want me. I need you to need me."

Puck froze when upon hearing Santana's crooning, slowly turning as Tina gasped.

"I'd love you to love me," Santana tried in vain to keep the desperation she was feeling from her face, "I'm begging you to beg me. I want you to want me."

Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware that the ever present jazz band was backing her in this ridiculous plea. "I need you to need me. I'd love you to love me. I'll shine up my old brown shoes, put on a brand new shirt."

Collapsing into the chair behind him, Puck lost all ability to hear as he attempted to keep the pained look from his face and take in this complete one-eighty in Santana's behavior. He watched her belting her heart (she had a _heart _now?) out, literally begging for his attention. Wasn't this the girl that dumped him in the hallway at the beginning of the year?

The rest of the Glee Club members filed in silently, taking their seats as the performance continued, taking in the looks on Santana, Tina, and finally Pucks' faces.

"I want you to want me. I need you to need me," Santana knew how pathetic she seemed, but she couldn't stop herself. She slowly walked toward Puck, trying to catch his eye, but they were glazed over, "I'd love you to love me. I'm begging you to beg me. I want you to want me. I want you to want me. I want you to want me." She finally sank to her knees, reaching out to take his limp hand in her own, "I want you to want me!"

"Excellent energy, Santana! This is exactly what I want to see from all of you this week. No holding back. Tell us what you can't tell someone else. Sing it out of your system. Puck, any response?"

Finn kicked the back of his teammate's chair, trying to snap the petrified 'badass' out of his own mind.

"Umm, no Mr. Shue. Nothing to say here." Puck could feel everyone staring at him, Santana especially. And he could feel his teacher's disappointment even before he said anything.

"Come on, Puck. Don't hold back. Tell her how you feel." Will Shuester was all too familiar with holding back. It was his default setting. He never stood up for himself to anyone. Except Sue. But even that was only for the kids. They were the one's being punished for the rivalry between the two educators. "Now, Puck. Front and center."

Moving stiffly, the uncomfortable football player shuffled toward the piano. He whispered in Brad's ear the music he needed because there was no way he was going to admit he knew the song, let alone who sang it. He had a kid sister, damnit. And they better all remember it.

Santana sank slowly into the chair Puck vacated. Looks like she was going to get the song she wanted. So why did she have a desperate feeling in the pit of her stomach that this was _not _going to end well?


	3. Don't Want You Back

**_A/N_**_: I wasn't going to post this until tomorrow, but my cat decided my laptop power cord would be a wonderful chew toy and I don't want to risk not having enough battery to post until Tuesday when the new one comes (thank you Amazon!) so here it is. Sorry it's shorter, this just seemed like a good place to end it._

Downloads of the songs for Express Yourself are available below. I will keep this updated as I continue the story :)

www . mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

**_D_**_**isclaimer**: Don't own Glee or "Don't Want You Back" though I do enjoy them both immensely  
_

"Don't, don't want you back. Hey, eee, yea. Ohh, yea. Ahh, ahh, ahh." He was looking at the ground as he mumbled the first lines, refusing to make eye contact with anyone in his audience. Scared to make it with Santana at the moment.

_Who the hell am I kidding? I'm a freaking STUD. I'm Puck, Puckerone, Puckasaurus. I could do this in my sleep._

The cocky grin graced his lips as he continued with the first verse.

"You hit me faster than a shark attack." Getting into it a little, Puck started moving to the beat as the jazz band joined in behind him. He pulled Tina and Mike up to dance with him.

"And you were more than just a pretty face. But how you fooled me, I'm still amazed, babe. But I should have known that I would be another victim of your sexuality."

He stalked toward where San was seated. "But now we're done. And over with. Don't, don't, don't want you back." Taking a leaf out of Berry's book, he started circling the fuming Cheerio. Leaning in to sing the words directly to her. "Don't want you back. 'Cause you're no good for me, I know. That's all I can say."

He was hopping back toward the stage as he got more into what he was saying. This was liberating.

"Don't want you back. Forgive my honesty, but you've gotta go. I, I don't want you back. Ahh, ahh."

The trio in front fell into step together, Tina and Mike laughing to one another as Puck continued. Finn and Matt joined in the harmonies from their seats. The girls were quiet, except for the constant whispers between Mercedes and Kurt. Even Rachel was staring in awe as her rebellious teammate let loose at the ever manipulative cheerleader.

"Don't want you back. 'Cause you're no good for me, I know. That's all I can say. Don't want you back!" Puck stopped dancing, instead just swaying to the beat as he made eye contact with Santana for the remainder of the chorus. "Forgive my honesty, but you've gotta go. I, I don't want you back. Baby, don't bother telling me your reasons why. Just let us sing this story, 'bout you and I."

Falling into step with Tina, Puck wailed through the end of the song, "I, I don't want you back!"

He was breathing heavily when the music ended and could only watch as Santana fled the room. No one could be sure if they actually saw tears on the frightening girl's face.


	4. Girl Next Door

**_A/N: _**_So, this chapter almost ended up being a filler chapter which was really annoying me so instead its just a reeeeeeally long chapter (in the sense that not much happens, but there's 1150 words so yeah. Sorry about the filler content but I wanted to get the chapter the way I wanted it. So enjoy! R&R please&thank you :D _

**A/N 2: **_Oh, and apparently my muse has decided that Quinn and Finn are still together/ got back together even after the babygate outing in "Sectionals" since I have already referenced "Theatricality" and now here they are together LoL _

Downloads of the songs are available below. I will keep this updated as I continue the story :)

www. mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

_**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Glee, nor do I own "Girl Next Door" it's just a favorite song, so I borrowed it to share with you all!_

Glee rehearsal disbanded quickly after Puck's performance. Brittany followed on Santana's heels, with Mike in his usual place just behind her. Quinn asked Mr. Shue about the assignment before also heading to practice. Matt and Puck began making their way to the locker room after knocking Finn in the back of the head to remind him that practice was in just a few minutes. Rachel watched Mercedes and Kurt make their way out of the choir room with Artie and Tina to go discuss ideas at the diner the foursome frequented. Soon, only she and Finn were left packing up their belongings.

"Hey, Rach. Do you think you could work with me on my song a little bit after practice tonight? I know what song I want to do but I just can't seem to get it right."

A wide smile spread across the tiny brunette's face as she turned toward the quarterback. "Sure, Finn. Do you wanna come over around six thirty?" Rachel made sure to flick the light off as they left the choir room.

Finn chewed the inside of his cheek before answering. "Actually, do you want to just wait until practice is over and I can drive you home? It's just a team practice and we're only running drills today so it won't be too long. I don't even think Coach T will show."

As much as she dreaded sitting in the empty bleachers like a complete cliche as the head cheerleader stared her down, Rachel only smiled at Finn as they made their way down to the field. _She never could deny that boy..._

Cheerios practice was in full swing when the football team made its way out to run drills. Quinn took a moment to wave at Finn from her choreographed split next to the pyramid, earning the usual tirade from Coach Sylvester. The blonde didn't even hear her coach today as Finn wasn't smiling and waving in her direction; it was Rachel that was causing his true smile to break out over his face as he jogged onto the field.

Quinn was _not_ a malicious person. That role was permanently occupied by Santana, but she couldn't help the death glare that she directed to her Glee Club teammate before she moved to spot as Brittany cradled out. Or the one she threw at her before the tumbling routine twenty minutes later. _Or_ the one she directed to the oblivious sophomore as practice was wrapped up at five. And it _definitely _wasn't intended to hurt anyone when she ran to to the football bench and all but threw herself into Finn's arms and planted a kiss on him that had several members of his team looking elsewhere uncomfortably. _Take that, Man Hands..._

Rachel looked up when she heard the whistles and whooping on the field and felt her heart break just a little more. This was a common occurrence; but what else does one expect when they fall for someone else's boyfriend? It still stings, though. She can't help that any more that she can stop her feet from stumbling her quickly out of the stands and away from the field.

She is halfway to the parking lot before she is able to breathe again. And then in true Rachel Berry fashion all she can do to release her pent up emotion is head to the auditorium. She offers the ever present Brad a watery smile and a quiet "Thank you" as she hands over the sheet music. This song has been weighing heavily on her for a while, it's time to 'sing it out' as Kurt always says. And as the music leads her in, Rachel stops in the single spotlight. Wiping the tears from her face, she closes her eyes and just feels...

"Small town homecoming queen. She's the star in this scene. There's no way to deny she's lovely." A half sob-half humorless laugh escapes between lines as Rachel continues.

"Perfect skin, perfect hair. Perfumed hearts everywhere. Tell myself that inside she's ugly. Maybe I'm just jealous. I can't help but hate her. Secretly I wonder if my boyfriend wants to date her."

The door in the back of the room opens but the tiny girl doesn't acknowledge the entrance, simply continues. She is clapping a hand against her thigh since she can't bring herself to actually dance.

"She is the prom queen, I'm in the marching band. She is a cheerleader; I'm sitting in the stands. She gets the top bunk, I'm sleeping on the floor. She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door."

He makes his way down the aisle as her feet take charge again, moving her to the music. She is simply too charged to stand still.

"Senior class president, she must be heaven sent. She was never the last one standing. A backseat debutante. Everything that you want, never too harsh or too demanding. Maybe I'll admit, I'm a little bitter. Everybody lovers her but I just wanna hit her."

Rachel doesn't even try to stop her fist from cutting roughly through the air at her side.

"She is the prom queen, I'm in the marching band. She is a cheerleader; I'm sitting in the stands. She gets the top bunk, I'm sleeping on the floor. She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door."

Her tiny hand comes up to clutch at her heart as she lets loose, singing with all that she has.

"Oh, I'm just the girl next door."

Another humorless laugh and an equally haunting smile spreads across Rachel's sad face.

"I don't know why I'm feeling sorry for myself. I spend all my time wishing that I was someone else."

The tiny brunette can feel his eyes burning into her as she lets out all the anger so that she can go back to pretending when the song winds down. She's back in the spotlight as

"She is the prom queen, I'm in the marching band. She is a cheerleader; I'm sitting in the stands. I get a little bit, she gets a little more. She's Miss America and..."

"She's Miss America. I'm just the girl next door!"

"I'm just the girl, I'm just the girl..."

She can see him making his way up the steps at the edge of the stage; his eyes full of the pity she can't stand to see. Just this once she wishes life was like a musical so she could sing without getting that look...

"I'm just the girl, I'm just the girl..."

The tears are gone. Rachel, once again, feels only acceptance as she looks up to meet Finn's gaze.

"And I'm just the girl next door."

The spot light cuts out then, and Rachel is able to make her escape stage left, silently thanking whoever was in the lighting box (probably Jacob) for giving her an out.


	5. Absolutely Story of a Girl

_**A/N**: So, it took me forever to pick a song for this chapter. I know the song for the next one (the chapter is practically written in my head) this one is pretty much filler to get us from point A (Rachel singing Girl Next Door) to point B (Quinn in the next chapter_) so yeah. Enjoy. R&R!

**_Disclaimer_**_: Still don't own Glee :/ or "(Absolutely) Story of a Girl"...just borrowed them for your reading pleasure_

Downloads of the songs are available below. I will keep this updated as I continue the story :)

www . mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

Finn was running before the lights came back on. There were two things that he knew: where Rachel was parked and that his longer legs would get them there first.

He was out of breath and that was completely not what she deserved, but he was at her car when she got there and he drew in a breath as he eyes made contact with his.

"This is the story of a girl. Who cried a river and drowned the whole world. And while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her, when she smiles."

The sincerity in his voice and the desperation in his voice stunned Rachel into silence and the nervous and incredibly lanky quarterback soldiered on while other football players and straggling students gathered around the pair in the parking lot.

"Now how many days in a year, she woke up with hope but she only found tears," Finn slowly walked toward Rachel, unable to stop himself until he was towering over her and reaching for a hand that she pulled behind her back. "And I can be so insincere, making her promises never for real."

A tear slowly fell down Rachel's cheek and neither her nor Finn wiped it away as he continued, " As long as she stands there waiting; wearing the holes in the soles of her shoes. Now how many days disappear when you look in the mirror? So how do you choose?"

Rachel let him take her hand this time while the other wiped her face dry.

"Your clothes never wear as well the next day, and your hair never falls in quite the same way," Finn chuckled a little, remembering when she had laryngitis and came to school in pajamas.

"You never seem to run out of things to say...This is the story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world. And while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her when she smiles."

Rachel joined in on the next verse, she couldn't help it. "Now how did we wind up this way? Watching our mouths for the words that we say?"

Neither one saw the Cheerios walk up. And only the Cheerios watched Quinn clap a hand over her mouth and take off for the locker room when she saw the two Glee members.

"This is the story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world. And while she looks so sad and lonely there, I absolutely love her-when she smiles."

And only Brittany was in the stall with Quinn as she cried. And dry heaved into the toilet trying to drown out her boyfriend's voice."

"This is the story of a girl. Her pretty face she hid from the world. And while she looks so sad and lonely there, I absolutely love her."

Finn's face lit up with a huge, genuine smile when he intertwined his finger's with the tiny brunette's.

Quinn washed her face, suppressed her tears before she and Brittany made their way to Britt's dad's SUV. And, though she wouldn't admit it, Quinn loved the way Rachel's face blanched at the sight of her. They pulled away before she could further react.

"This is the story of a girl. Who cried a river and drowned the whole world. And while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her. When she smiles! When she smiles!"

He hadn't even finished the last line when Rachel's car door slammed and she turned the key in the ignition. And Finn was left, at a complete loss as to what to do.

Rachel was barely out of the parking lot when the tears started again. And she had just turned of the street when she pulled over and slumped over the steering wheel, sobbing over the guy that wasn't hers. Again.


	6. Love Hurts

_**Author's Note**: So this took me _**forever**_ to finish, and I'm really really sorry for that. It's all my muses fault...this story went in a **completely **different direction than it started out pointed, but I think I've got it just about outlined, so I should be able to come up with updates faster now...I also posted and then took down a Quinn chapter, but it's going to be after this one, because I really love the song and I think that it flows better next...so yeah. Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Glee...though I think this year I am gonna ask Santa if he can change that :) Also don't own the song...or know why I used a cover of it except that it was the first to come up on my iTunes...enjoy  


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Neither of them is really sure exactly when this...thing...started between them, or even what it is. They're not friends, they're definitely not lovers, they're not really anything. But he's her safe place and she understands him and that's all either of them really wants from anyone right now.

So it doesn't surprise Puck when he sees Rachel pull into his driveway and turn off the car. And it doesn't surprise Rachel that Noah is walking out of the front door before she pulls herself together and takes off her seatbelt.

He can tell from the look in her eyes that she's hurting, that something went down at school after he bailed following his little sing off with Santana. He's not sure what but he knows better by now than to ask. She'll talk about it when she's ready, whether he likes it or not.

She can tell by the sag of his shoulders that the Santana thing bothered him more than he had admitted before disappearing from the choir room as soon as the team was dismissed. She follows him silently into the house, knowing that he'll talk to her about it after she's been there for a while and they can distract each other from the overall total suckiness of their day.

Before the teens head up to Puck's room Rachel stops in the living room to see Alisa working diligently on her homework. The eight year old smiles up at the tiny brunette, hugging her tightly when Rachel kneels to check over her math worksheet. With a gentle hug and a promise to come back down and make her something to eat after a while, the teen kisses the young girl's forehead and ascends the stairs.

Pushing open the door, Rachel feels herself relaxing slightly even as she rolls her eyes at the boy with the video game controller in his hand and his feet propped on the stack of textbooks that he should be studying. She sees that he dropped her bag haphazardly at the foot of his bed and she pulls the books she needs from it and turns to his desk.

After several minutes spent shuffling around the pile of deposited papers, throwing out food wrappers and soda cans and moving the dirty laundry to the hamper, Rachel sits down and turns on Noah's laptop. She pulls out her notes while the computer sets up and then opens iTunes to create a suitable playlist before turning to her history homework.

She hears him turn of his game and sigh heavily before pulling out his own history textbook and a sheet of paper and flopping down his bed to begin his own work; the petite girl smiles to herself because she knows that he is only doing his work to appease her. eventually Joan Jett's cover of 'Love Hurts' comes on and Rachel can't help but sing along. This is a lesson both teens learned well this year.

"Love hurts. Love scars."

She is unnecessarily surprised when she hears the rumble of his voice join hers, she knows this is one of his favorite covers.

"Love wounds and mars, any heart not tough, or strong enough."

She abandons her homework to sit on the bed with the boy who, at least in the comfort of their homes, has become her best friend.

"To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain."

She looks to him as he sings out the simile.

"Love is like a cloud, holds a lot of rain. Love hurts. Ooh, love hurts."

Hazel eyes, darkened with bitter emotion watch her face intently as she continues.

"I'm young, I know, but even so. I know a thing or two. I've learned from you. I've really learned a lot, really learned a lot."

He leans into her shoulder, bumping her out of her sad thoughts and the twosome sing together.

"Love is like a flame, it burns you when it's hot. Love hurts. Ooh, love hurts."

Standing, he grabs her hand to spin her tiny body into his arms, before dancing her around the room. Puck can't help the smile that spreads across his face as Rachel beams up at him like that. The continue to sing, this time in pure over exaggerated karaoke style with gripping fists and ridiculous choreography.

"Some fools think of happiness, blissfulness, togetherness. Some fools fool themselves, I guess. But they're not fooling me.

"I know it isn't true, I know it isn't true Love is just a lie, make to make you blue. Love hurts. Ooh, love hurts. Ooh, love hurts."

They both jump as the door flies open and Alisa finishes off the song with an exaggerated fall to her knees, arms stretched out to her sides.

"Ooh, love hurts!"

Puck play tackles his little sister and the girls burst out in a fit of giggles as the three fall into a pile on the ground, tickling and shoving each other.

Once the laughter is under control, the teens take a moment to enjoy the lightness of their hearts and forget everything that had them so down earlier in the afternoon.


	7. Leave the Pieces

_**Disclaimer**: Sadly I don't own GLEE, Noah Puckerman or this wonderful song by _The Wreckers

Songs/versions I use for this fic are available at

www . mediafire . com/glee_expressyourself

Quinn was still sniffling an hour after she got home. Looking for a distraction, she picked up the guitar Puck had left after visiting the day before, sitting in the middle of the bed and situating the instrument awkwardly around her swollen abdomen. While she was hardly a musician in her own right, Puck had been teaching the Cheerio a thing or two and she strummed idly while she mentally replayed the afternoon for the hundredth time.

Without even realizing she was doing it, Quinn started humming and matched her strokes on the guitar before she started singing quietly.

"You're not sure that you love, but you're not sure enough to let me go. Baby, it ain't fair, you know, to just keep me hangin' around."

The tears were flowing down her cheeks as she continued. The door opened as Finn shuffled in, dropping his bag at the foot of the bed. He sank down next to her, gently running a hand along her back.

"You say you don't want to hurt me, Don't want to see my tears. so why are you still standing here, just watching me drown?"

She felt Finn shift uncomfortably beside her but he stayed silent.

"And it's alright, yeah I'll be fine. Don't worry about this heart of mine. Just take your love and hit the road. There's nothing you can do or say. You're gonna break my heart anyway. Just leave the pieces when you go."

"Quinn, I-" The pregnant girl didn't respond or give her boyfriend a chance to respond, just continued singing as though he wasn't even there.

"Now, you can drag our the heartache, or, Baby, you can make it quick, really get it over with. And just let me move on. Don't concern yourself with this mess you left for me. I can clean it up you see. Just as long as your gone."

The song was imperfect. Quinn was crying harder now, hiccuping between lines. But she couldn't stop, couldn't let herself.

"And it's alright, yeah I'll be fine. Don't worry about this heart of mine. Just take your love and hit the road. There's nothing you can do or say. You're gonna break my heart anyway. Just leave the pieces when you go."

She could practically hear Rachel calling her 'pitchy' and 'sharp' but it felt cathartic to let it out. She felt freeer somehow just laying it all out there.

"You're not making up your mind. It's killing me and wasting time."

Quinn looked Finn in the eyes for the first time since he entered. She willed him to _understand_ the words, take them in, act on them.

"I need so much more than that."

His eyes were filled with tears, just like hers. Both of them were crying because she was in this much pain-because _he had put _her in this much pain.

"And it's alright, yeah I'll be fine. Don't worry about this heart of mine. Just take your love and hit the road. There's nothing you can do or say. You're gonna break my heart anyway. So just leave the pieces when you go. Leave the pieces when you go."

Quinn couldn't stop herself from flinching when the boy she loved reached for her. She stood and sang the final line before leaving the room to breakdown in solitude.

"Leave the pieces when you go."

Quinn collapsed against the bathroom door, crying and willing herself not to be sick.

Similarly, Finn collapsed against the door of the bedroom she had just left.


End file.
